Datta Dayadhvam Damyata Shantih Shantih Shantih

Were You There?

It’s been roughly nine hours since the news broke about Osama bin Laden’s death. I happened to have been checking into Facebook after watching Game Of Thrones just as the news came out and then stayed to watch the global reaction.

The first status updates (hereafter:SUs) were blunt and to the point. “Osama bin Laden is dead.” It was repeated so often it became almost a mantra. Then the SUs got longer. He’s dead and we’ve confirmed it with DNA and yes, we’ve got the body. The next thing–and I swear this is true–is that nine people made the exact same joke about death certificates.

The first partisan sniping came from someone I didnt expect it from, and I decided to just unfriend that person. By the end of the night, however, it became clear that SUs in this situation were a good litmus test for people’s character. I was truly blessed by a lot of them, extremely troubled by several more.

It was exactly a week ago that many of us were talking about another Middle Eastern man executed for his terrorist crimes against a superpower.

That man didn’t start out guilty and didn’t stay dead. That man brought hope to billions, life where there had been only death.

It’s because I believe in the divinity of that other man and the teachings he espoused that I cannot rejoice in the death of the war criminal Osama bin Laden.

bin Laden was a son of hatred. His life was an earthly travesty of death and destructon and discord. He brought blood and chaos wherever he went. It’s only human to want to be glad that he’s gone.

But his master ISN’T gone. And i figure the best way to combat Satan is to throw my lot in with that other Middle Eastern man. The one who preached true revolution. So i won’t rejoice at bin Laden’s death. Instead I choose to rejoice at Christ’s life.

@dbeholder–I’m guessing her point had nothing whatever to do w/ whether she believes the official story or not. But I won’t speak for somebody else.

I’m w/ Pam. It makes my blood run cold to see my countrymen using this as a battle cry. It doesn’t surprise me in the least–but, still, very disturbing. As far as dbeholder’s response, I had heard rumors that Osama Bin Laden died ten yrs ago. How can he die again, I asked myself when I first heard this news. The problem is parsing truth from lies–not an easy task. I sorely hope that his death will not be used to rally the American spirit for more war against terror.

I, too, rejoice at Christ’s life. Thank you for your take on this. It gives me hope that there are still sane people around.

I sincerely appreciate how you phrased what I could not. I didn’t find out until this morning and frankly, I’m trying to avoid social media until it blows over. I feel a mixture of relief and other emotions. The relief is there, but there’s sadness, and worry, too.

Yesterday Pope John Paul was beatified on Divine Mercy Sunday and Osama Bin Laden was killed. I know you’re not Catholic, so the first part of that sentence may mean little to nothing to you, but for me it’s an interesting juxtaposition.

It isn’t an issue for me that most of my friends don’t necessarily share my views on the death penalty (as it relates in this case), but it was very uncomfortable for me to read so many rejoicing, not the service of justice, but the death of a man.

Katherine, I’m not sure it has to be one or the other. From my perspective (and, I think, relationship with, the other Middle Eastern Man), Christ would render under Caesar the things that are Caesar’s and unto God, the things that are God’s. Bin Laden surrendered his life to a Caesar (in this case, his opponent), and his soul to God. I’m not out waving my flag in the streets. Nor do I think Christ would. But it’s understandable that those beholden to Caesar would.

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